MU/XU Game Thread

[Shaka Shart]

Bongs start in 5 minutes

My prayers for you started in 6

[MUeng]

Expecting Xavier all out effort for hopes of a tourney bid. This feels concerning given the trajectory of both teams right now. Lunardi has Marq as an 8 playing 9 seed Arkansas, need to get off that line...find your shot Kam!

[Vander Blue Man Group]

There is a real chance we get our doors blown off.

Xavier +2.5 feels generous.

Could that happen?  Anything's possible.  But based on how the team has looked since the Nova game, even with some tough losses, it's absurd to think something like that is likely.

[SaveOD238]

Xavier has won however many straight, but if we go back to the last four games only, Marquette has actually performed better (like the best team in the conference actually).

[wisblue]

I've learned to never expect anything.   

I expect things, but I've learned never to take anything for granted.

[mileskishnish72]

Expecting Xavier all out effort for hopes of a tourney bid. This feels concerning given the trajectory of both teams right now. Lunardi has Marq as an 8 playing 9 seed Arkansas, need to get off that line...find your shot Kam!

8 seeds suck. So do 9's.

[Big Papi]

I think to have any real success in ncaa tournament; we need to get out of the 8/9 seed.  That means beating Xavier today. 

This is not a meaningless game.  We have to show that we can beat a good team.  If we can't beat X today, how can anyone expect to win a game next week.

[wisblue]

Xavier has won however many straight, but if we go back to the last four games only, Marquette has actually performed better (like the best team in the conference actually).

I think these metrics lose a lot of their significance when you apply them to such a small sample of games.

One of the things that concerns me, and several others on this board, is that MU has lost several games that were tight in the final minutes.

You can't expect blowouts like against Seton Hall and Providence in tournament games, so a team has to be able to finish out close ones. MU hasn't been good at this lately.

One very specific concern is identifying who you'd want at the foul line in the last minute while trying to protect a small lead.

[#UnleashSean]

It is just asinine to think that anyone, including Marquette, should be concerned with Xavier.

Should be an easy win. It's unfathomable that MU is only a 2 point favorite.

have you seen Marquette lately? It's not shocking their only a 2 point favorite.

[#UnleashSean]

Xavier has won however many straight, but if we go back to the last four games only, Marquette has actually performed better (like the best team in the conference actually).

Im glad we can say we performed like the best team in the conference while going 2-2 in that stretch and falling to around a 7 seed.

Lets hang a banner!

[Scoop Snoop]

have you seen Marquette lately? It's not shocking their only a 2 point favorite.

Hook, line, sinker.

[MU82]

I think these metrics lose a lot of their significance when you apply them to such a small sample of games.

One of the things that concerns me, and several others on this board, is that MU has lost several games that were tight in the final minutes.

You can't expect blowouts like against Seton Hall and Providence in tournament games, so a team has to be able to finish out close ones. MU hasn't been good at this lately.

One very specific concern is identifying who you'd want at the foul line in the last minute while trying to protect a small lead.

Unlike some of the imagined horrors some Scoopers float out there, the concern that Marquette has had trouble closing out games against good teams is legit IMHO. Hopefully, we play so well today that we win by a lot, but I'm realistic enough to know that's not likely; so hopefully we make the plays at winning time - including hitting FTs - that let us win a close one.

As for the metrics ... what's enough games? 5 games? 7? 10? 20? I've been saying that we're playing pretty well now, so I do get a tiny bit of satisfaction that the metrics agree with that.

None of it really matters, though, because now our heroes get a chance to show how well they're actually playing - on the court, not in the metrics. I'm still hopeful of getting to the second weekend, but I acknowledge that I'm one of the board's bigger optimists.

We Are Marquette!

[Shooter McGavin]

I think to have any real success in ncaa tournament; we need to get out of the 8/9 seed.  That means beating Xavier today. 

This is not a meaningless game.  We have to show that we can beat a good team.  If we can't beat X today, how can anyone expect to win a game next week.

Yep.  Would be a bad sign to lose.  I think they pull it off and give St Johns another run for their money.  Go MU!

[Hards Alumni]

Hook, line, sinker.

To be fair, it was a very scoopy post, and the sarcasm felt too real.

[Mr. Nielsen]

[BM1090]

MU ML, Kam over 19.5 points, Ben over 7.5 points. Let's do it.

[MuggsyB]

LFG!!!!

We can do this!!! 

[#UnleashSean]

MU ML, Kam over 19.5 points, Ben over 7.5 points. Let's do it.

I wanna see Ben finally become the better version of Steve Novak he absolutely can be

[Newsdreams]

Got wasted & sinned nothing left for me to do

[GoldenEagles03]

Let's goooooooo MU!

[MuggsyB]

Cmon Kam.  No need for that shot early in the clock. 

[MuggsyB]

Silly foul by Kam there.  Why??

[Johnny B]

What in the world from jones. Guys are launching first chance they get

[CTWarrior]

I don't like any of our offensive possessions so far.  All low percentage shots.

[MuggsyB]

Completely out of control 4 straight possessions.  Whatever happened to rudimentary poise?